Little Tyrants

Seattle Parks Superintendent Tim Gallagher has banned all forms of tobacco use in Seattle parks. Gallagher made this rule despite protests from the city’s parks board. Even worse, he openly admits that this is being done to protect people from their own decisions, not to protect people from second-hand smoke (even chewing tobacco is banned). As far as I can tell, this rule applies to Seattle’s three municipal golf courses, so if you want to smoke a cigarette while playing a round at Jackson Park, make sure none of Gallagher’s foot soldiers are watching.

Cigs are disgusting and dangerous. Look at Roger Rabbit. Years of smoking and now he has an oxygen tank and a serious, debilitating lung disease. His choice to smoke. However WHERE to smoke is another issue. Seeing kids smoking in parks…or immature adults like Lee, is not why we go to a Public Park.

That said…what are the consequences of being caught smoking in a Park? Probably nothing. Lee is gettin’ all torqued about next to nothing. Interesting however that the Left-wing Lunatics who believe in Bag Taxes are the ones to create this new RULE. Seems like everytime I look, the Democrat Party is alienated more of it’s own. Seperate the Democrat Loons from the ones who believe in jobs & small government. Good. Welcome to the Tea Party.

@4That said…what are the consequences of being caught smoking in a Park? Probably nothing.

Read the linked article. You’re banned from the park for successively longer terms. On the fourth offense, you can be arrested.

Interesting however that the Left-wing Lunatics who believe in Bag Taxes are the ones to create this new RULE.

That’s not interesting at all. In fact, it makes no sense. A bag fee is not an attempt to make people’s decisions for them. It’s a fee for using a resource that we all have to pay to clean up later. If you banned plastic bags altogether, then that gets closer – but even that’s not the same thing because there’s an environmental impact aspect.

Seems like everytime I look, the Democrat Party is alienated more of it’s own.

And every time they do it, people like you remind me why I still have no other choice but to vote for them. Congratulations, you’re the Democratic Party’s most valuable asset, the person who makes Republicans look too crazy to vote for.

Who exactly is “you all”? Please reference comments #3 and #4. The people who want a mommy state tend to be the ones who hide under their beds and wet their pants over terrorism and drug use. For the most part, those folks ain’t liberals or Democrats.

The tobacco ban in parks is just stupid. Unlike the gun ban though it is less clear the courts would smack it down if it is challenged.

My real worry is we’re going to be soon like some places in California, that while tobacco use is technically legal there are almost no places one can legally light up. Can’t smoke in bars and restaurants, can’t smoke on a public sidewalk, can’t smoke in a park, can’t smoke in your car if someone under 18 is present, can’t smoke inside or outside a multifamily residence, where can you smoke?

I’m wondering what’s going to happen to those who “live” in the downtown Seattle parks.

(Excerpt from future police report):

“As I entered the park on my regular patrol duties, I noticed a group of three men standing together, with what appeared to be cigarettes in their mouths and the smell of tobacco smoke eminating from the group. As I and my partner approached, the group noticed me and three cigarettes were discarded, one being thrown approx. 20 feet away.

While my partner stood back and covered me by watching two of the men, I seperated the third person to question him. Being concerned for my safety, I first submitted him to a standard pat-down search for weapons. These did not find any weapons, but did reveal an opened pack of cigarettes containing 16 unused cigarettes, with four missing. I took a picture of the evidence with my camera, a copy of the photo appearing attached to this report.

I informed the suspect that he was being arrested for violating Seattle Public Ordinance # (omitted). He swore at me and made what I interpreted to be threatening gestures. At that point I placed him in a “compliance hold”, and cuffed him. Fearing that his accomplices would intervene, my parterner ordered each of them to lie face down on the ground, at which point one of them was handcuffed, and the other was restrained with zip-ties (both of our handcuffs being used at that point). I called for backup.

While waiting for backup to arrive, I did a preliminary search for weapons on the two other suspects (# 1 & 2). No weapons were found, but both possessed tobacco products (see attached copy of photo). In addition, suspect # 2 had a small bag of leafy material believed to contain marijuana, which was sent to the lab for analysis.

All three suspects have been held pending charges of participating in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances (marijuana). As none of them had a verifiable address, a request was submitted to the prosecutor’s office that all three be held without bail pending trial.”

Smoking killed my grandfather and then my father, so I have no use for tobacco in any form. But such an absolute ban is just creeping nannyism, and I’ve just about reached my limit.

I’m a regular user of Seattle parks and never once have I been forced to inhale second-hand smoke. The few smokers I encounter don’t create a problem because (duh) we’re outside, in the breeze.

At our next family reunion, the few smokers won’t be wandering to the edge of the group to light up, rather they will huddle in the middle to be out of sight of passersby and whatever enforcement they might bring to bear. Not an enhancement of the park experience, Mr. Gallagher.

First of all: altho I consider myself progressive, I have no use for a “nanny state” mentality, and that’s what this is…excessive intrusion of government where it doesn’t belong (just like the ‘nanny state’ mentality which tries to regulate who I sleep with, marry, and leave SSI benefits to).

What’s especially galling, tho, is that one person–just one person which his own axe to grind–implemented this plan. Why? Because he can.

Steve @ 11 I think banning wingnuts from parks is an outstanding idea. They don’t want to pay taxes to maintain parks, so why should they get to use them? Moreover, rational people go to parks to relax, recreate, and get some air. Having wingnuts around just creates a toxic atmosphere and produces nausea.

@4 That said…what are the consequences of being caught smoking in a Park? Probably nothing.

Read the linked article. You’re banned from the park for successively longer terms. On the fourth offense, you can be arrested.

How much bureaucratic cost is related to keeping track of this???? Is this a reasonable use of scarce police resources when there are beatings in the Bus Tunnel and other serious crime.

I’m just sayin’ Lee.. This lunacy is brought to you by Lesser Progressive Seattle. It’s undeniably YOUR ILKS FAULT!!!

Too Damn Funny. Progressivism is geared toward controlling more & more aspects of our lives. Pop Tax?? Lunacy? Park Cig Cops? Double lunacy. The list goes on & on & on.. How can anyone who values the Constitution and wants to live free be a “Progressive”??? America is waking up to the fact that Progressives are ARROGANT CONTROL FREAKS!! Only THEY are smart enough to decide what is best for us. That won’t sell Lee.

21 I wasn’t trying to be funny. I’m serious. I think wingnut-free zones are a great idea. For instance, I’d be happy to let wingnuts have Oklahoma. We need to let productive, rational people go about their business without facing interference from rightwing crazies.

Seems like you KLOWNS are so far removed from reality and sooooooooo angry that you and your messiah Obam-Mao blew it, that now all you can do is fantasize about getting rid of folks who disagree with you? Heil Hitler! Is that the new Progressive mantra?

“The negative health effects of [insert favorite liberal pet peeve here] are well documented,” Gallagher wrote. “As an agency that has a fundamental mission to support the health and well-being of Seattle residents, it is appropriate and beneficial to prohibit the use of [insert favorite liberal pet peeve here] products at parks and park facilities.”

…liberals always seek to control others actions. Funny how it’s only when they begin to want to control the behavior of fellow liberals do their fellow ideological travelers speak out.

Ah, Little Ricky, yes, we want to control others’ actions. That’s why we are pro-choice, and don’t give a damn about which adult marries another adult, and could care less if someone wants to smoke some harmless weed. I could go on in this regard, but I know that you don’t pay any attention.

You hallucinated that I cheerleaded Lee as he characterized Anne Coulter as a “cunt”. Something I’d never do. In fact I discourage any other progressive from doing that. Let the right wing do that – right wingers like Roger Stone of Citizens United.

You were wrong of course in accusing me of that and I proved you were wrong.

I don’t know what dope you’re taking but it’s odds on favorite that it’s that most potent hallucinatory drug :

Please Donate

I appreciate feeling appreciated. Also, money.

Currency:

Amount:

Can’t Bring Yourself to Type the Word “Ass”?

Eager to share our brilliant political commentary and blunt media criticism, but too genteel to link to horsesass.org? Well, good news, ladies: we also answer to HASeattle.com, because, you know, whatever. You're welcome!

Search HA

Follow Goldy

HA Commenting Policy

It may be hard to believe from the vile nature of the threads, but yes, we have a commenting policy. Comments containing libel, copyright violations, spam, blatant sock puppetry, and deliberate off-topic trolling are all strictly prohibited, and may be deleted on an entirely arbitrary, sporadic, and selective basis. And repeat offenders may be banned! This is my blog. Life isn’t fair.